Air-pump mechanism for motor-vehicles.



PATENTED JULY 21, 1903.

R. H. WHITE. AIR PUMP MECHANISM FOR MOTOR VEHICLES;

APPLICATION FILED APR. 21, 1902.

N0 MODEL II/trill!!! IIIIIIII I IIIIIIII/ UNITED STATES Patented July 21, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE. V

ROLLIN H. WHITE, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE \VHITE SEWING MACHINE COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORA- TION OF OHIO.

AIR-PUMP MECHANISM srncrrrcnrron formingpart of Letters Patent No. 734,028, dated July 21, 1903.

Application filed April 21, 1902.

To all whom it may concern:

Bei-t known that I, ROLLIN H. WH1TE,a citizen ofthe United States,residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvementin Air-Pu mp Mechanism for Automobiles, of which the following is afull, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

Nearly all steam-carriages employ a liquid fluid, as gasolene or kerosene. This fluid is carried in a tank under pressure, which must be maintained within certain limits. In some steam-carriages hand-pumps are employed to produce the desired pressurein the fuel-tank. The operation of such a pump is burdensome, and therefore it is desirable not only to provide a pump which is capable of being operatively connected with the engine whenever it is desired to increase the pressure in the fuel-tank, but also to provide easily-operated means for making and breaking said operative connection between the engine and pump. It is also desirable to provide means which will prevent any damage in case the operative connection between the pump and the engine is maintained after one has closed the valve in the pipethrough which the pump forces air into the tank.

The present invention consists in the construction and combination of parts hereinafter described, and definitely set forth in the claims, for producing the results above referred to.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of so much of a steam-carriage equipped with my invention as is necessary to disclose said invention. Fig. 2 is a side View of some of the mechanism shown in. Fig. 1, showing the position of said parts when the pump is disconnected from the engine. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the valve mechanism in the pipe leading from the pump to the fuel-tank.

Referring to the parts by letters, A represents an air-pump which is pivoted to a bracket C or some other suitable fixed support on an axis at rightangles to the axis of the pump-cylinder. Preferably a stud a is formed as a part of the pump-cylinder, and it is rotatably mounted in a box 0, formed on Serial No. 103,854:- (No model.)

said bracket. The pump-piston (not shown) and the piston-rod a is of ordinary construction, except that the outer end of the pistonrod is enlarged and provided with a lateral notch or, and the rod above this notch is beveled, as at a The cross-head b of the engine B or" some other suitable reciprocating device is provided with a pin 1), adapted to fit in this notch a, and when so fitted the operation of the cross-head produces a corresponding operation of the pump-piston.

The pump forces air through the pipeD into the fuel-tank F. One section d of the pipe D is flexible, so as to permit the pump to rock upon its pivot, and in the pipe D is also a valve 9, which will be opened by the operator when the pressure in the tank is to be increased by the operation of the pump and will be closed when the pressure-gage indicates the desired pressure in the tank.

Connected by a pivot with the pump-cylinder below its pivot is a rod G, whose end telescopes into a hollow rod K, which is pivotally connected with one arm j of a bellcrank lever J. A slot 7c is formed in the wall of this hollow rod, through which passes a pin g on the rod G. On the latter rod is fixed acollar g, and between this collar and the end of the hollow rod is a compressible coiled spring H. ferred to is pivoted to a suitable support and is under the influence of a spring M, preferably a rat-trap spring, constraining it to rock to carry its arm j forward. A pushrod N passes through a hole in the floor of the carriage just in \front of the seat and bears upon one arm j of this bell-crank lever and is in such position that the driver of the carriage may with his foot push this rod downward, with the result of rocking the bellcrank lever against its spring M. The arm j will move rearward, pushing the hollow rod K, which compresses the spring H. The rod G is pushed rearward by this yielding spring, wherefore the pump is rocked upon its pivot and the beveled end a of the piston-rod is brought into the path of the pin 1) on the cross-head. Now the cross-head coming down and the pin 1) striking this beveled end moves it backward until the pin comes The bell-crank lever J re into line with the notch in the piston-rod. This movement of the piston-rod is permitted by the spring H, which spring then acts to move the pump in the reverse direction and causes the notch a in the piston-rod to take over the pin 1) on the cross-head. This makes an operative connection .between the engine and pump, whereby the latter will be operated, and this connection will be maintained so long as the operator keeps his foot on the pushrod. \Vhen he removes it, then the spring M causes the bell-crank lever to turn in the opposite direction. This brings the end of the slot in the hollow rod K in engagement with the pin g on the rod G and thereafter positively pulls upon the pump and causes it to swing on its pivot, and thereby to disengage its piston-rod from the pin on the cross-head. The two rods G and K constitute a compound link capable of being lengthened and shortened within the limits, and the yielding spring H exerts its force to lengthen it, and the pivoted pump and its notched and beveled piston-rod constitute a latch which is under the influence of a yielding spring H, whereby it may act as described.

The pipe D is provided with a relief-opening, preferably through an open ended branch d in line with the casing E of the valve e. The valve e is a cone-valve, which when seated shuts off communication between the two parts of the pipe D. This valve has a threaded stem 6 fitted to the threaded opening in the valve-casing, and the valve is moved toward or from its seat by turning it by means of an operating wheel or handle. A valve R is placed in the branch pipe 61, so as to be able to close communication between the pipe D and its said branch. The valve R is also a cone-valve, as shown, which is normally held against its seat by a spring whose force is greater than any desired pressure in the fuel-tank. The stem 1' of this valve extends to a position where the valve 6 in closing will strike it and positively open valve R. In other words, the two valves move simultaneously, the one closing when the other opens. When, therefore, the operator shuts the valve 6, he opens the valve R, and therefore if he forgets to previously cause the disengagement of the engine and pump no harm will be done, because the air pumped into pipe D will escape through the relief-opening and the branch pipe d. If he forgets to close valve e when the tank-pressure is as desired,

any great excess of pressure will open the valve R.

Having described my invention, I claim- 1. In an automobile, the combination of a fuel-tank, an air-pump, an engine, and means for connecting and disconnecting the engine and pump, with a pipe connecting said pump and tank and having a relief-opening, and valve mechanism adapted to simultaneously establish communication through said pipe between the pump and tank and to close said relief-opening, and vice versa, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In an automobile, the combination of a fuel-tank, an air-pump, an engine, and means for connecting and disconnecting the pump and engine, with a pipe connecting said pump and tank and having relief opening, two valves, one for closing said relief-opening, and one for preventing the passing of air into the tank, and a single operating device for both valves whereby when one is opened the other is closed, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. In an automobile, the combination of a reciprocating member, a pivoted air-pump, its piston-rod, and a latching device for automatically connecting said pistonrod and the reciprocating member, with a spring-actuated lever, a compound link consisting of two telescoping rods respectively pivoted to said lever and to the pump, and a spring acting to lengthen said compound link, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. In an automobile, the combination of the reciprocating cross-head having a laterallyprojecting pin, a pivoted air-pump, and its piston rod having a notched beveled end adapted to be engaged by said pin, with a spring-actuated lever, a compound link consisting of a longitudinal slotted tubular rod, and a rod telescoping into said tubular rod and having a pin projecting through said slot, said two rods being respectively pivoted to the pump and to said lever, a collar on the inner rod, and a coiled spring surrounding said rod and compressed between said collar and the end of the tubular rod, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ROLLIN H. WHITE.

Witnesses:

E. B. GILCHRIST, E. L. THURSTON. 

